Breaking down the first half of the Illini’s Big Ten Schedule

Illinois+wide+receiver+Malik+Turner+%2811%29+gets+ready+to+catch+a+ball+that+he+tipped+during+the+game+against+Purdue+at+Memorial+Stadium+on+October+8.+The+Illini+lost+34-31.

Austin Yattoni

Illinois wide receiver Malik Turner (11) gets ready to catch a ball that he tipped during the game against Purdue at Memorial Stadium on October 8. The Illini lost 34-31.

By Cole Henke

When I made my predictions for the Illinois football season before week one, I had the Illini going 2-10, with their only wins against Ball State and Rutgers.

That was when I could only make predictions about where the Illini – and everybody else — were as a team. Now, three games into the season, I can make more educated predictions for how the Illini will fair in Big Ten conference play.

Nebraska

This is one of those matchups that I had as a certain loss on the Illini’s record before the season started. Now, I am not so sure. The Cornhuskers suffered a brutal loss to Northern Illinois last weekend, proving that they are very vulnerable. They only put up 17 points on the Huskies, which proves that if the Illinois defense shows up, then it could very well be a tough day for Nebraska.

Having this matchup at home is a huge plus for the Illini. Nebraska does have the opportunity to get back on the rails in their matchup against Rutgers this weekend.

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I am still picking Nebraska in this game, but if Illinois pulls out the win, I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest.

Iowa

I marked this as a loss at the beginning of the season, and I am not changing that. In a couple years, Illinois will be competing with Iowa at the top of the Big Ten West, but right now, I just don’t think they have enough offensive fire power to threaten Iowa.

I believe the Illini defense can play with anyone, but right now, there are too many question marks around the Illini offense for me to be able to make any bold predictions.

In the end, the Illinois defense will do all it can to keep Iowa at bay, but it won’t be enough because the Illini offense won’t be able to put up the points to match them.

Rutgers

Here it is. The one game that I would actually put money on the Illini. The Scarlet Knights are in a rebuild, just like the Illini, but they are a couple of steps behind. I had the Illini winning this in the preseason, and I have them winning now.

Rutgers put up a great fight against now-No. 7 Washington, and that made me a little nervous, but a loss to Eastern Michigan backed up my earlier prediction. Rutgers has proven to be an all-or-nothing team. Some weeks they will stick with a top-10 team or put up 65 points against a mediocre team, and then some they will fall off and not play well.

Unless something drastic happens in this Rutgers-Nebraska matchup this weekend, I am sticking with the Illini.

Minnesota

Remember when P.J. Fleck took a MAC football team and thoroughly embarrassed the Illini in Memorial Stadium? I do. That Western Michigan team was awesome, but Fleck left to head to Minnesota. Now, he has a middle of the pack Big Ten team, and he is looking to do some damage.

After a slow start against Buffalo in the first game of the season, the Golden Gophers mowed through their next two opponents and are heading into Big Ten play with a head full of steam.

The Illini better hope they slow down before their match-up because last year’s Illini defense couldn’t stop a P.J. Fleck offense, and that squad had NFL-ready talent on it.

I see this as being another win for Fleck over Lovie Smith.

 Wisconsin

What an absolutely terrible game to have for Homecoming. Right now, Wisconsin is where the Illini want to be in a couple years. They are at the top of the Big Ten West, and they are showing no signs of leaving soon.

The Badgers just play solid football and are in another league compared to the Illini. Through their first three games – even though the competition is nothing to look twice at – have dispatched of their opponents with ease. Wisconsin doesn’t seem to have any major roadblock that could ruin their season before they get to the Illini. Maryland has the best shot, but they play the week before the match-up with the Illini, so that could put a chip on their shoulder.

I don’t see a way that the Illini will win this game, but if they do, then it will be the best Homecoming this University has seen in years.

Wrapping up

I could see the Illini finishing with a 3-9 record or even a 4-8 record, depending on how the Nebraska game goes, and either of those records will top my original prediction for the season.

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